Family Travel with Kids in Vietnam

Vietnam is one of the warmest countries in Asia to bring children. Vietnamese culture genuinely adores kids — restaurant staff will hold your baby while you eat, grandmothers will press toys into their hands at temple gates, and your toddler will be the photo subject of every passing teenager. This is delightful for the first three days and occasionally exhausting after that.

The flipside is logistical: pavements are scooter parks, traffic is constant, and most family infrastructure (changing tables, baby-friendly menus, child seats in taxis) is patchy. A bit of planning solves most of it.

The cultural welcome

Bring kids and watch doors open. Restaurants find high chairs from somewhere. Hotel staff entertain your two-year-old at reception while you check in. Tour guides slow down. Locals stop on the street to coo, give a thumbs up, ask for a photo (politely — see etiquette). Vietnamese kids in tourist areas often try out a few English words on yours, which is charming.

This means the social side of family travel is much easier than in Europe. The hard parts are physical and logistical.

The pavement problem

In Hanoi, HCMC and Da Nang, pavements are the parking spot for motorbikes. There is rarely a clear strip to push a stroller. The road itself is faster but you are sharing it with constant scooter traffic that does not stop for crossings the way Western traffic does.

This makes a front carrier or hip carrier the better tool than a stroller for kids up to about 18 months, and a lightweight umbrella stroller (you will lift it over obstacles 50 times a day) far better than a heavy Bugaboo for older children. Bring a hiking baby-backpack carrier if you have a toddler and plan any rural travel.

For crossings: walk steadily, predictably, do not stop or sprint. The scooters part around you like fish. Holding kids by the hand — never letting them run ahead — is non-negotiable.

Where to base yourself

For family trips, pick fewer cities and longer stays. A four-city itinerary in two weeks with a four-year-old is hell. A two-city itinerary with three nights minimum each is bliss.

• Hoi An — the easiest base in Vietnam for kids. Pedestrianised old town, cycle paths to the beach, calm streets, manageable size, good child-friendly restaurants. Most families' favourite Vietnam stop.
• Da Nang — beach, modern hotels with pools, easy day trips, the Marble Mountains, fewer scooters than Hanoi or HCMC.
• Phu Quoc — resort beach holiday; well-suited to under-10s. Vinpearl Land and Sun World are big amusement parks if you want them.
• Da Lat — cool weather, gardens, the Crazy House, a working farm or two — good for older kids who need a break from heat.
• Hanoi old quarter for 2 nights, not 5 — fascinating but exhausting with small children.
• HCMC for 2 nights, in a quieter district — pick District 2 (Thao Dien) or District 7 (Phu My Hung) over District 1.

See Hoi An, Da Nang and Phu Quoc for area pieces.

Transport with kids

Grab cars — easiest. Standard GrabCar does not provide child seats. You can request GrabCar Plus or GrabCar 7-seater for more room but seats are still absent. Many parents bring a lightweight inflatable booster (BubbleBum, Mifold) for kids over 3, and either bring an infant car seat for under-3s or accept that the trip is short and slow. Vietnam does not legally require child car seats yet.

Taxis — same picture: no child seats provided. Vinasun and Mai Linh are the trustworthy brands.

Trains — overnight sleepers are surprisingly family-friendly. Book a full four-berth soft-sleeper compartment and you have your own room. The Da Nang–Hanoi train is the classic family run.

Domestic flights — Vietnam Airlines is the family-friendly choice (priority boarding, child meals, prams to the gate). Vietjet and Bamboo are cheaper but less accommodating.

Motorbikes — Vietnamese families ride four-up on a single scooter and the kids do not wear helmets. As a foreigner: don't. Helmet law applies, your insurance doesn't cover this, and the consequences of a crash with a child are devastating. See travel insurance and motorbike rental.

Cyclos and walking tours — fine for older kids who can sit still. Avoid for toddlers — fumes, open vehicle, traffic.

Food with kids

Vietnamese food is famously kid-friendly: not spicy by default, with plenty of noodle-and-rice base dishes, mild flavours, plenty of vegetables.

Big winners:

• Pho — broth-and-noodles, ask for chicken (pho ga) for fussier kids
• Cha gio — spring rolls
• Banh xeo — Vietnamese pancake, fun to eat
• Com ga — chicken rice
• Banh mi — kids' version: just ham, butter, no chilli
• Fruit shakes — at any cafe, fresh and cheap
• Western chains — KFC, McDonald's, Pizza 4Ps (excellent Vietnamese-Italian) for backup
• Yogurt drinks (Yakult, Yomost) in every Circle K

Street food etiquette covers safety. With kids, lean toward busier, popular stalls (high turnover = fresher food) and watch the water — bottled or hotel-filtered only.

Nappies, formula, baby food

Available in cities, harder in rural areas.

• DM (Dr Max), Concung and Bibo Mart are baby-product chains in HCMC and Hanoi with Western brands (Huggies, Pampers, Aptamil, etc).
• Concung is the easiest — there is one in every district. App and home delivery.
• Smaller cities have Concung branches too. Rural towns have only basic local-brand options.
• Formula — Aptamil, Similac, Enfamil all available in cities. Buy a small tin and check your baby tolerates it before stocking up.
• Baby food jars — limited variety. Most families buy fresh fruit (avocado, banana, papaya) and use a portable masher.

Carry a buffer of nappies for travel days and stock up at every Concung you pass.

Health and vaccinations

Speak to your travel clinic. Standard schedule for kids: routine schedule up to date, Hepatitis A, typhoid for older kids, Japanese Encephalitis if going to rural rice areas, rabies pre-exposure if longer than three weeks (kids are bitten more often). See vaccinations.

Dengue — kids are at higher risk of severe dengue than adults. Use repellent diligently, especially at dawn and dusk. Long sleeves at sunset. See dengue fever.

Heat — Vietnamese summer heat is real. Plan outdoor mornings 7–10am, indoor pool/AC midday, light activities after 4pm. Carry water constantly.

Tummy upsets — common, rarely serious. Bottled water for drinking and brushing teeth, no street ice early in the trip, hand sanitiser before every meal. See hospitals by city if it goes beyond rehydration.

Family-friendly clinics — Family Medical Practice (HCMC, Hanoi, Da Nang) is the expat default for kids. Vinmec hospitals have good paediatric wings.

What kids actually like

• Hoi An lanterns at night — beautiful for any age
• Cooking classes for older kids — every tourist town has one
• Bicycles to the beach in Hoi An or Mui Ne
• Vinpearl Land amusement park in Phu Quoc and Nha Trang
• Cu Chi tunnels for kids over 8 (intense for younger ones)
• Mekong Delta boat trips — short ones, watch the heat
• Cable car up Ba Na Hills — the Golden Bridge is genuine awe
• Sun World indoor and outdoor parks
• Hue Imperial City for kids who like castles
• Snorkelling at Cham Islands from Hoi An

What kids do not like: long museum visits, lengthy temple tours, hot road trips by car. Save those for the adults' time.

A practical packing add-on

In addition to the general packing list:

• Lightweight carrier (Ergobaby, Tula) for baby
• Umbrella stroller (compact)
• Inflatable booster for car-aged kids
• Children's electrolyte sachets (Pedialyte) — useful for any tummy upset
• Sun hat per child, every day
• Mosquito repellent suitable for kids' ages
• Spare comfort item for each child (the bear that travels)
• A few sticker books for slow restaurant meals

The summary

Vietnam with kids is doable, warm and rewarding. Pick fewer cities, longer stays. Use carriers more than strollers. Choose Hoi An or Da Nang as your base, not Hanoi's old quarter. Watch the heat, mosquitoes and motorbikes. Everything else is easier than you fear.